Emily Babay

Staff Writer

Frigid temperatures are coming to the Philadelphia area (and the rest of the East Coast) tonight through Wednesday morning. Here are 10 things to know about protecting yourself and your home from the cold.

1. Dress in layers: Hats, scarves and mittens will all help keep you warm. Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from the cold air.

2. Watch out for water: Hypothermia can be more likely to occur if a person gets chilled from rain, sweat or cold water.

3. Know the signs: Learn about symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite, so you know whether to seek medical attention. For frostbite, watch out for skin that has lost feeling; looks white, pale, hard or waxy; and turns red, purple or blue as it thaws. Frostbitten tissue may also feel tingling, burning and pain as it thaws. Warning signs of hypothermia include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, memory loss, slurred speech, low energy and bright red, cold skin in infants.

4. Warm up: If you feel chilled from being out in the cold, get to warm area, put on warm, dry clothes and wrap yourself in a blanket and drink warm non-alcoholic and non-caffeinated beverages.

10. Prevent, fix frozen pipes: Run water, even just a trickle, to help keep pipes from freezing. If you need to thaw a frozen pipe, use hot water or device specifically made for thawing pipes. Do not use a blow torch or other open flame.